A little while ago in the mid-November, Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) or MI6 put an full-page advert to recruit Intelligence Officers on the media, such as Evening Standard or Economist. Sounds unreal, but it’s true. UK govenment has two divisions of Intelligence: MI6 supplies foreign intelligence and MI5 is in charge of domestic intelligence, and this is the advert by MI6.

The advert tries to change general public’s stereotypical image of spy, a cool hero who perform high-speed chases and shoot-outs in casinos, like MI6 agent James Bond in 007 movies. Instead, the qualities that MI6 look for are more ordinary and more subtle, such as simple ability to get on with all sorts of people from all kinds of cultures. The advert also denies the white, male stereotype, and they don’t care gender or where you’re from, as long as British national. Spay is not unlikely a loner, and intelligence is a team game and every member is constantly supported. Many operational jobs are in our London HQ, instead of international mission, and fit well with family life. Still secrecy has to be kept, and the details of work is secret and candidates are asked not to discuss their application with anybody. The candidate will be able to disclose a role to one or two close friends or family after joining MI6, and receives a help to create a cover story for everyone else.

After this advert, a fake advert on the directgov website, used for government recruitment, seeking a “target elimination specialist”: £50,000-£60,000, with “performance bonuses on completion of missions” (the Guardian). In reality, it is said that first year’s salary at MI6 is only £24,500 and not as glamourous as you think – you can’t do it if you are not passionate about your job as an intelligent agent, I guess.